Tips for Improving Digestion as We Age  

As we grow older, our bodies will surely change – including our ability to digest well. Many Singaporean seniors are having difficulty in digesting well these days because of different factors like medications, lifestyle, gum disease and even tooth decay. If we do not take good care of our digestion, we will possibly encounter different conditions like indigestion, ulcers, constipation and diverticulitis.

The good news is that we can still improve digestion. We should start now. Here are some tips:

• Stay hydrated: We have to know that constipation will become more common as we grow old. Staying hydrated is the simplest thing that we can do to improve our digestion. Water or orange juice with pulp can ease constipation. Liquids are important as it can soften stools so they can easily pass through our digestive tract. Remember that caffeine can dehydrate us so we have to avoid coffee and tea.
• Watch what we eat: Our goal is to maintain a healthy weight not only for healthy digestion but for our overall health. When we overeat but less active, we can strain our digestive system and as a result, we will experience heartburn. The best thing to do here is to curb foods especially fatty ones and keep ours meals in reasonable size.

• Eat lots of fibre: If constipation is our main problem, we should choose foods with high in fibre. Foods rich in fibre includes vegetables, fresh fruits and nuts. Fibre is good for digestion because it “greases” our digestive system.
• Be active: Being active not only improves our digestive health but also our overall health. We can take on regular aerobic exercises like dancing, walking, swimming and biking.
• Lessen stress: Stress can take a toll on our health as it increases gastric acid. Gastric gases can lead to indigestion and heartburn symptoms. We can lessen stress by exercising as it releases endorphins – the feel-good hormones.
• Take care of the teeth: Healthy digestion begins with our mouth and that includes our teeth. With this, it is important that we take good care of our teeth because we rely on it when we chew. We need to chew well so it will be broken into small pieces for it to be absorbed by the body properly.

Our body will not be the same when we age unless we take good care of it when we were young. It is not too late to start now. With the tips mentioned above, we can still improve our digestion as we age.